Damsel in Distress
by Dracuncula
Summary: Jane gets a bit protective of Maura, which leads her to pull a 'Giovanni' in front of Dr. Pike. Based on what transpired in S3E7 'Crazy for you' and a possible explanation of why Dr. Pike hasn't been around much lately … Story goes from there.
1. Damsel in Distress

**Part I: Damsel in Distress**

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_A/N: First off, none of the characters belong to me. This is a story that has been lurking around on my laptop for a while now and I decided it needed to be revisited and edited, simply because it is exam time and exam time is procrastination time. That is all. _

_Summary: Jane gets a bit protective of Maura, which leads her to pull a 'Giovanni' in front of Dr. Pike. Based on what transpired in S3E7 'Crazy for you' and a possible explanation of why Dr. Pike hasn't been around much lately … Story goes from there._

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_Day 1_

"This man is the most infuriating person I have ever met!"

Jane looked up from her paper work upon hearing Maura's annoyed voice ring through the bullpen, to see the M.E. striding towards her with an angry frown on her face.

"What's he up to now?" Jane asked while leaning back in her chair, barely managing to conceal the smirk on her face.

Maura had been on edge all morning and this was not the first time she had taken an opportunity to come up to the bullpen to vent her frustration to Jane. The cause for Maura's foul mood being Dr. Pike, who had been finding reason after reason to drop by BPD headquarters lately and his constant presence was driving Maura insane. It had started shortly after the Dominick Bianchi incident and Jane was fairly certain she knew why Pike was making up reasons to come to their morgue. After all, the man had drunkenly confessed his love for Maura even if he didn't remember a thing and was back to being his usual, nasty self towards the Chief Medical Examiner.

"Now that I have finally made him understand that there will be no monetary compensation for his Particle Vac, he keeps pestering me to use that terrible gadget of his to help minimising the 'disastrous effects of my incompetent mannerism of conducting a forensic investigation'! Those were his words! Can you believe this man?" Maura was gesticulating wildly, her voice vibrating with anger and Jane was getting quite a bit worried that the usually so reserved doctor might soon reach the point of physically harming Dr. Pike.

"Maur, calm down. I know he is being a massive ass-hat, but we both know why he is behaving like a moron towards you."

"And why is that, _Detective_?" Maura asked, annoyance creeping into her tone. She already knew exactly what Jane's answer would be but she'd just about had enough of her friend teasing her about Pike's declaration of love.

"Because behaving like a dick is apparently some guys' idea of wooing a woman." Jane snickered.

"This isn't funny anymore, Jane!" Maura's voice held absolutely no amusement at all and she narrowed her eyes at Jane, which was the first warning sing for the detective to thread lightly from hereon out.

"Hey, believe me, I know this is no fun." Jane said, holding up her hands in a placating motion. "Remember Joey Grant and the duck in my locker? Do you know what sister Winifred did when I told her a duck had crapped all over my homework? She smacked me across the palms with her torture device of a ruler so hard I couldn't hold a pen for days and then she had me sit in detention for two weeks! And that was Joey's way of showing me that he liked me. Men are idiots, Maura."

"This is certainly not any kind of behaviour that would even remotely trigger reproductive desires in a woman."

"Is that Maura-speak for saying 'yes, men are idiots'?" Jane asked, trying her best to sound serious and earning a small smile from her friend in response.

"Possibly. Anyhow, I suppose I better get back to the morgue. Pike has probably rearranged all of my instruments by now." Maura sighed.

"Tell you what, I'm gonna come with you. I've wanted to be there for the Johansson autopsy anyway. And that way I can make sure you don't use any of your sharp objects down there on Pike. I'd really hate to have to arrest you for murder." Jane got up from her desk and linked her arm with Maura's.

"As annoying as that man is, I wouldn't murder him. Do you know how much work it is to get rid of a body without leaving any forensic evidence behind? I think firing him would be the much easier option of getting rid of him." Maura deadpanned, letting herself be led to the elevator by Jane.

* * *

_Day 2_

"Detective Rizzoli!"

Jane cringed at hearing the all too familiar voice calling out her name from somewhere not too far behind her. She had just entered the BPD and was about to make her way to the elevators when Dr. Pike suddenly appeared and hurried to catch up with her.

Jane turned around to face the annoying man, trademark fake smile in place.

"Dr. Pike, so good to see you. What are you doing here, _again_?" Jane's voice was easily betraying the lack of sincerity behind her words, but Dr. Pike didn't seem fazed by that at all.

"You look stunning as always, Detective!" he proclaimed with a seedy smile that made Jane shudder.

"Yeah, thanks …" she murmured. "Uh, listen, I have to get going, important case and all, you see?" Jane started towards the elevators, hoping Pike would just go back to wherever he had come from.

"Oh yes of course, I understand. Be assured that should you require my help with any of your cases you can feel free to call me. It must be hard putting up with Dr. Isles's sloppy and incompetent manner of working all the time, so I am more than willing to step in if you need me to!"

This was just about as much as Jane was going to take from that freak of a doctor. She slowly turned around again from where she'd already been frantically pushing on the elevator button.

"You _do not_ talk about Dr. Isles in such a way." Jane said through clenched teeth, fighting the urge to punch Pike in his face to wipe that self-satisfied grin off of it.

For a moment Dr. Pike looked a bit taken aback. He was not sure he understood the detective's sudden change of demeanour when it came to Dr. Isles. After all she had told him herself that she was more than unhappy with Dr. Isles's approach at a forensic investigation. In fact, the man had been quite certain that the tall detective had had a thing for him. Not that she'd have a chance in hell with him, seeing as his secret obsession with Dr. Isles left no room to think about other women, but he could always flatter her for a little while at least. Or so he thought.

"While I respect your professional courtesy towards Dr. Isles, I myself have no inhibitions at all to call her out on her malpractice. In fact, I was just about to go to the morgue and confront her with a very obvious mistake she made in the latest case study she somehow managed to get published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences." he replied with as much dignity as he could muster.

"Is that right? Well lucky you, I was just on my way down to the morgue myself." Jane's response was unmistakably a little bit aggressive, but upon hearing what Pike had in mind she had decided there was no way she would let Maura deal with that horrid man on her own.

"Oh. In that case, after you Detective!" Pike gallantly offered when the doors to the elevator finally slid open.

As soon as they arrived in the morgue, Jane rushed ahead to find Maura before Pike did. She spotted the M.E. almost instantly in her office, bending over some paperwork.

"Hey, Maur!" Jane hissed quietly upon entering her office, causing Maura to flinch.

"Oh Jane! Don't sneak up on me like that." she scolded, before seeing the grim look on her friend's face. "What is it?"

"Pike's here." Jane managed to say, just before said person flounced into the office without even so much as thinking about knocking first.

Almost instantly Jane moved to Maura's side, crossing her arms and taking on a threatening stance.

"Dr. Pike. What do you want?" Maura asked in her most hostile voice, fixing him with an icy glare.

"I have found your latest publication in JFS about cases of suspended animation and I have to say I sincerely doubt that the conclusion you have reached is sound!" Pike jumped right into it without any preamble.

"Have you now." Maura responded, sounding markedly disinterested in Pike's newest attempt to get a rise out of her.

"Yes I have. And quite frankly, I am considering reporting you to the Board of American Pathology for suspected malpractice, I believe it is high time that the Board has another look at your qualifications to determine whether you are even fit to be calling yourself the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts!"

That did it for Jane. Maura hadn't even drawn so much as a breath to respond to Pike's ludicrous allegations when Jane jumped in front of him, angrily pointing a finger at Pike's face.

"I've had it with you, _Doctor Pike_!" she announced, putting a serious effort into keeping her voice from shaking with anger. "You can stop your pathetic attempts at getting Maura's attention through bullying her because, and this might come as a surprise to you, it isn't doing the trick! So you can pack up and stop this twisted way of hitting on her!" Jane's voice was rising to a yell and she paused, looking from Pike to Maura, both seeming equally taken aback by Jane's reaction.

"In fact", Jane smirked, an idea suddenly occurring to her as she took a step back to stand next to Maura once again. Eliciting a squeak of surprise from Maura, Jane reached out to wrap her arm around Maura's waist and pulled her snug against her side. "Even if you were the nicest man on earth, Maura still would not be interested in you. At all. Ever." Jane turned to look at Maura before she continued in a much more tender voice. "Isn't that right, sweetie?"

Maura, instantly picking up on what Jane was trying to do smiled gratefully at her friend before joining in on their little game of charades that came unsurprisingly natural to the both of them.

"That's right. I'm not interested in anyone but you." As if to emphasise her words, Maura boldly leant forward to press a chaste kiss to Jane's lips.

The kiss took Jane completely by surprise and when she felt the loss of Maura's soft lips on hers, it took her a few moments to gather her bearings. She looked at Pike with a smug expression and couldn't help but feel exceptionally pleased at the look of unadulterated jealousy on his face.

"I see how it is." he said curtly, glancing from Jane to Maura and back again. "Well, Dr. Isles, I have to say I am a little bit surprised to find that this is where your preferences lie", he went on, giving Jane a once-over. Jane was just about to retort when Pike's words cut her off. "A blue collar cop with no academic education to speak of whatsoever. But you and I, Dr. Isles, we are cut from the same cloth. We could have been great together."

"I would pick a blue collar cop with no academic education over you and your ego anytime, Dr. Pike. Now I suggest you leave my office. And if you want to keep your job, I do not wish to see you barging into my morgue uninvited ever again. Are we clear?" Maura's authoritative tone left no doubt that she was being more than serious.

"Fine, then. Have it your way." Pike responded, unable to keep the hurt of rejection out of his voice. Without so much as sparing another glance at Jane and Maura he turned and left the office.

A few seconds of silence passed after Pike had made his exit before Jane and Maura almost simultaneously broke out in a fit of laughter.

"I almost felt sorry for him", Jane chuckled after catching her breath.

"I doubt he is going to make an appearance again any time soon."

"Yeah, I think the idea of you slumming it with a blue collar cop without an academic degree has put him off for life. He probably wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole after today." Jane smirked.

"He is an idiot." Maura said and took Jane's hands in hers. "And I'd rather be slumming it with you than be around those bigheaded arrogant academics who can't tell their gluteus from their ulna!"

"It's 'can't tell their arse from their elbow', Maur." Jane chuckled, squeezing Maura's hands. "And I am glad you're slumming it with me, too."

"Good. And now I think I'd like to take my blue collar cop out for lunch, my treat. I owe you, for saving me from a rather unpleasant male specimen yet again." With these words Maura leaned in to press a kiss to Jane's cheek and whisper a word of thanks into her ear before gathering her handbag and turning to leave the office.

Jane, dazed and fighting the blush that she could already feel spreading on her face after Maura's sweet kiss, followed the doctor out of her office. "Anytime Maura, anytime …"


	2. Dilemma

**Part II: Dilemma**

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_A/N: Completely overwhelmed by all the positive reviews this story got! And although at first it was meant to be a one-shot, I decided to squeeze out a few more chapters to follow up on this. Also I have found that tossing around fic ideas in my mind seems to keep me from falling asleep during uneventful night shifts, and I have a whole week ahead of those ... So here's part two._

* * *

_Day 3_

Jane was acutely aware of her best friend, sitting mere inches from her on the plush sofa cushions. Ever since the day before, when Maura and Jane had once again pretended to be lovers to get rid of unwanted male attention, Jane felt as if a switch had been turned. From the moment on when Maura had chastely kissed her cheek in a show of gratitude something had changed. Jane couldn't put a word to what exactly it was but somehow she suddenly felt different. It was as if she had developed a sixth sense around her friend. The warmth radiating off of Maura's skin so close to Jane's own seemed to scorch the detective, and even the smallest movements Maura made suddenly seemed mesmerizing, like the way her forehead wrinkled in concentration right now, completely engrossed in the book she was reading. Or the way she shifted ever so slightly towards Jane when she tucked her feet up on the sofa. Even the way she let out a slight puff of breath every now and again at what must be a particularly captivating moment in her read.

Jane was supposed to be watching Sports Center, which was quietly droning on in the background but for a reason she couldn't quite fathom the detective was simply unable to look away from Maura for more than a few minutes at a time. All day today at BPD Jane found herself hoping for a reason to go down to the morgue and see Maura, or for Maura to be up in the bullpen with her. And on those occasions that the doctor had shown up to discuss a recent case, Jane had felt the overwhelming need to monopolise the doctor's attention. Which, of course, was a highly unprofessional approach to their interaction at work and Jane was shocked to find that, deep down, she didn't care. All she wanted was Maura's attention, solely focussed on her. And when Maura did talk, whether to her or anyone else around, Jane had found her gaze straying to those soft lips she had felt on her own for a few fleeting seconds only yesterday. It was the strangest feeling, and Jane Rizzoli had absolutely no idea what on earth was happening to her.

"Jane … Did you hear what I just said?" a familiar voice cut through the detective's musings.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you are alright? You kept watching me and then you kind of spaced out there for a moment." Maura mustered the detective with an amused smile hinting at her lips.

"Uh, yeah, sure …" Jane cleared her throat, obviously a little bit embarrassed at being called out on her ogling. "I'm fine Maur. Just … thinking."

"Okay. Well I think I'm turning in for the night." the doctor announced, placing her book on the coffee table before turning her expectant gaze back towards Jane, who suddenly felt as if she had been suckerpunched in the stomach.

"Yeah, okay. I'll be heading home then I guess …" Jane just hoped she managed to keep her voice from sounding as disappointed as she felt at the prospect of separating from Maura for the night.

"You don't have to, you know", Maura said softly, allowing her hand to rest on Jane's forearm for just a fleeting moment. "The guestroom is made up, you could just stay …"

Jane felt her breath hitch in her throat, as much from Maura's touch as from the invitation she just extended. A small, logical part of her brain told Jane that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to spend the night, maybe she would be better off to go home to her own apartment and figure out what on earth had happened in the past 24 hours to completely change the way she acted around her best friend, but that part was quickly overridden by Jane's overwhelming need to spend as much time with Maura as possible.

"Sounds good. I'd like that."

"Great!" Maura stood and turned toward Jane, who was still sitting on the sofa. "I think I even have some turkey bacon left for you for breakfast." She announced with a wink and gave Jane's shoulder a squeeze in passing before heading to the master bedroom.

Jane remained sitting for a few seconds longer, trying to come to grips with the way her stomach had started to do weird little flips when Maura had done that cute little wink, and the way her shoulder still tingled where Maura's hand had been. And then it suddenly hit the detective like a ton of bricks.

"Fuck." _I'm in love with my best friend._

* * *

_Day 4 _

Jane was fidgeting. Something she had been doing all morning, ever since she walked into Maura's kitchen and was faced with the object of her current turmoil. The first shock about her realisation that she was absolutely and irrevocably in love with Maura Isles had faded and all that was left now was nervousness that slowly but steadily turned into panic. She was in love with her best friend and one of the most important persons in her life, who was blissfully unaware of the change in Jane's feelings towards her (or so Jane hoped). The detective was completely out of her depths and had no idea how to handle this mess. She had been playing out various scenarios in her head for the past few hours. Tell Maura and risk ruining the best friendship both of them ever had. Or tell Maura and maybe find that on some level her feelings might be returned. Or not tell Maura and simply adore her from a distance and hope that one day these feelings might go away on their own. And if they didn't, live miserably in unrequited love ever after. Jane sighed.

"Yo, Jane!" Jane's head snapped up at Frost's holler from across her desk, "I've been calling your name three times now, where the hell is your head at? Toss me the Raynor file, would you?"

"Yeah, sure." Jane mumbled, digging said file out from under the mountain of paperwork on her desk and handing it to Frost.

"Are you okay, partner?" Frost asked, quietly and discreetly so that none of the other cops around could overhear.

"I'm fine. Just figuring a few things out. But thanks for asking." Jane replied equally as quiet. Frost was a good guy and a good partner, and while she would have brushed off anyone else had they been asking, she didn't feel the need to with Frost, because he just accepted her response with a slight nod and busied himself with the file.

Just as Jane was about to mull over her emotional dilemma once again, the telltale sound of expensive high heels making their way through the bullpen brought the very object of Jane's dilemma face to face with her.

"Hey doc. Is it lunchtime already?" Frost greeted Maura as soon as she approached their desks.

"Hello Barry", she nodded in Frost's direction. "Jane and I are heading to the new vegan lunch restaurant two blocks from here. We can bring you something back if you want?"

"Vegan? As in no dead animal involved? Uh, thanks but no thanks …" Frost shook his head wide eyed, casting an unbelieving glance in Jane's direction, who missed her partner's confusion entirely as her eyes were fixed on Maura as if she suddenly was the only person in the room.

"Are you ready to go?" Maura asked, smiling sweetly at Jane.

"Sure, Maur. Lemme just grab my blazer." In one quick motion Jane had gathered her things and hurried after Maura, barely sparing a glance in her partner's direction. If she had, she would have maybe seen the sudden look of understanding dawn on his face as he slowly shook his head, grin spreading on his features while he watched the two women retreat towards the elevators.

* * *

"I still think we should have just left Chang in charge of cleaning up that mess and gone home at five", Jane moped, slouching in the passenger's seat of Maura's car when it rounded the corner heading up to Maura's house late that evening.

After a lunch break that had seen a very smitten Jane shovelling mountains of vegan food into her mouth, all the while hanging on every word Maura was saying when she had been eagerly telling her about the newest scientific findings in the analysis of burned remains, the women had returned to BPD only to be roped into a new case. A shallow grave had been found by a dogwalker, or more precisely by his dog who had suddenly turned up with a human femur in his maws, and the messy recovery had begun from there.

"You know I can't just leave my crime techs in charge of a recovery site such as this, just as well as you know a homicide detective has to be present during the forensic processing. Now stop sulking, we've made good time and Angela sent a text earlier promising to have dinner ready when we get home." Maura pacified Jane.

And Jane suddenly found that she didn't even mind working overtime so much this time around, because she and Maura had spent it together. _Nothing more romantic than searching for scattered human remains in the woods, right?_ Jane shook her head at the thought. She was beginning to think that she was one seriously messed up lovesick puppy. The things Maura Isles did to her.

By the time both women arrived at Maura's front door, they could already smell the delicious scent of Angela's homemade lasagna wafting from the house. The prospect of enjoying her favourite meal together with her favourite person in the comfort of Maura's home made a giddy smile appear on Jane's face and in a sudden rush of boldness she placed her hand at the small of Maura's back when they rounded the corner to enter the spacious living area, expecting to be greeted by the sight of Angela and a hot dish of lasagna. However, what they found instead made them both stop in their tracks.

There in the middle of Maura's dining room stood no other than Giovanni Gilberti, broad grin in place, waggling his eyebrows and looking expectantly at Maura and Jane.

"Hey you two! Lookin' hot together!"


	3. Dinner Outing

**Part III: Dinner Outing**

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_A/N: Final part. Thank you everyone for reading, following, favouring and reviewing! :-)_

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"Giovanni! How nice to see you … What are you doing here?" Even Maura, the ever polite hostess, couldn't quite keep the surprise out of her voice upon seeing the Italian mechanic standing in her dining room. Jane, on the other hand, was not quite so subtle. Without saying a word she brushed past Maura and Giovanni and headed straigt for the kitchen where she found Angela busy with putting the finishing touches on the lasagna.

"What the hell, Ma?"

"Oh, Janie, there you are! Dinner is almost ready."

"What's Giovanni doing here?" Jane hissed, not to be deterred.

"You know I went to the garage today to get new tires for my car. And Giovanni's always asking about you and Maura, that poor boy, just has no luck with the ladies. I felt sorry for him! So I invited him for a nice home cooked meal, it's the least I could do."

"No Ma! You can't just walk around inviting people to Maura's without asking us … her, I mean, without asking her first!"

"Oh would you stop, Janie. I know Maura doesn't mind, she likes having people over - I mean you spend more time at this house than at your own apartment. And it's no wonder, this house is just far too empty with only Maura here. She enjoys company! Now go get the bread out of the oven!" These being her final words, Angela grabbed the lasagna dish and carried it to the dining room, a less than amused Jane following her with a basket of bread and a dark look.

"I'm so sorry Maur, I don't know what the hell Ma was thinking", Jane whispered when she took her seat next to Maura at the table, who instantly placed a placating hand on Jane's thigh.

"It's okay, don't worry about it." The doctor said with a sincere expression. And it was true she didn't mind having Giovanni over for dinner- just as long as the mechanic didn't attempt to lick her face.

Jane however was still not too happy about the unwanted male company. Especially not when said male had a soft spot for her Maura. But her anger instantly turned into shock the second Giovanni opened his mouth.

"Aw, Mrs. Rizzoli, I think it's so nice of you to cook for us. And you must really like Maura, too! I didn't think you would be so cool with this, like, not with the way you were always trying to get Jane to go out with Benny DiMarco when we were still in school. But Maura's so much better than Benny, right? And hot, too! Aren't they hot together?"

Jane nearly choked on the piece of bread she had been furiously chewing and Maura, too, couldn't quite suppress a small noise of panic.

Angela, visibly confused, looked between Giovanni, Jane and Maura. "What … cool with what? I don't-"

"Giovanni!" Jane managed to get out in between a coughing fit, effectively cutting her mother off.

"What? Oh, wait, Maura doesn't know about Benny, right?" Giovanni asked, his eyes growing big like those of a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Quickly he turned to Maura "It's all good, don't worry, Jane and Benny never did anything. She only made up that rumour that they'd been caught making out in his car to get Mrs. Rizzoli to stop asking about him."

As soon as the words left Giovanni's mouth, Jane felt like she was about to die from embarrassment. Just when she had gathered herself enough to draw a deep breath, Giovanni rattled on. There was just no stopping him.

"And then there was that one time Benny actually tried to make a move on Jane, she slugged him in the face and gave him a nosebleed! Remember that day, Janie? Man she has one hell of a left hook!" Giovanni grinned.

"Oh God, kill me now." Jane mumbled, just when she heard Maura softly chuckle next to her.

"Jane! You lied to me about Benny? And you hit that poor guy in the face, too?" Angela finally managed to get a word in.

"Yeah Ma, I punched Benny! Hell, that creep tried to feel me up during gym practice that day, he deserved it! And before you even think about giving me a lecture about this, it was 20 years ago so give me a break! Besides, sister Winnie the Poo made me sit in detention for a week afterwards, so it's not even as if I got away with it."

"Really, Jane." Angela shook her head, despite her daughter's words not letting up so easily. "I bet Maura never went around punching boys in school."

"No, I didn't. But then I went to an all girls' school so I'm afraid your argument is moot, Angela." Maura smiled, clearly entertained by what had turned into what Jane would probably call a typical Rizzoli dinner.

"Yeah, Ma. Now can we just all shut the hell up and finish eating?"

* * *

After another tedious half hour, in which Jane silently prayed to whatever deity was listening that Giovanni wouldn't say another word about her and Maura, dinner was finally over. As if coming to the realisation that she was in love with her best friend wasn't enough for one day, she now had to spend her evening keeping that moron Giovanni from outing Maura's and her fake relationship to her mother. Jane shook her head. The irony of the situation almost made her laugh, yet it brought her not a step further in figuring out how to deal with this new predicament she found herself in.

As soon as the dishes had been cleared away Giovanni announced his departure, at least one thing that made Jane finally breathe a little easier. Wasting no time she took it upon herself to usher Giovanni out the front door, her mother and Maura trailing behind.

"Thanks for dinner Mrs. Rizz, you still make the best lasagna!" Giovanni grabbed his coat, while Jane was steadily pushing him towards the door, wanting nothing more than this evening to be over with.

But right before stepping outside, Giovanni being Giovanni, turned once more to address Angela. "Oh and don't be too hard on Jane about that Benny DiMarco story. I mean she's done so much better with Maura! She's a doctor, and she's hot, right? Hey, and if you ever want grandchildren, just gimme a call, I'm sure the three of us can do something about that, if you know what I mean!"

The mechanic barely had enough time for a suggestive eyebrow waggle before Jane forcefully pushed him outside and slammed the door shut behind him only to turn around and be faced with Angela Rizzoli.

"Alright girls, what the hell is going on?"

* * *

_Day 5_

"Yo, Rizzoli! I hear your mother's mechanic kicked you and the doc out of the closet last night? Way to go!" Crowe bellowed loud enough for the whole bullpen to hear the minute Jane walked past him to leave work that day.

"Shut your face Crowe." Jane kept walking, seemingly unperturbed.

She wasn't surprised word had gotten out this fast. This morning, her mother had told Frankie about last night's dinner, and how Giovanni had made a comment that had forced Jane and Maura to come clean to Angela about the way they had been pretending to be a couple for quite a while now to hold Giovanni's unwanted attention at bay. And of course Frankie had found it hilarious and blabbed all of it right away to one of his colleagues and from then on out it was only a matter of time until the whole BPD knew. That, Jane thought, is what you get for having half of your family work at the same place.

Rumours at BPD about Jane and Maura in themselves were no novelty. Ever since the two had become close friends some of the guys hadn't been able to keep their minds out of the gutter and every now and then someone would start talking about how surely there was more to it than friendship, for the doctor and the detective spend so much time with each other. So it was no surprise that the part of the story where Maura and Jane had only pretended to be in a relationship somehow got lost along the lines and now Jane was back to being labelled as the token gay girl on the force.

Before today, Jane had never really cared about what she was labelled as, as long as everyone was clear about the fact that she was a damn good detective. But somehow, now that this label might actually hold some truth to it, Jane felt insecure. But Jane would be damned before she showed any of her uncertainties to her colleagues, so she did what she'd always done in situations like these, she brushed it off.

Stepping into the elevator, Jane closed her eyes and took a deep breath. How on earth did she go from realising she was hopelessly in love with her best friend to having a fake relationship outed to all of BPD by Giovanni and her own family in just two days?

* * *

"Jane, you're not still upset about last night, are you?" Maura asked when she handed Jane her cold beer and sat down on the sofa next to her friend, glass of wine in hand.

"Damn right I am still upset. It's bad enough that Ma and Frankie had nothing better to do than to blab the whole thing around, but some of these arseholes I work with are taking a lot of artistic liberties with the whole story and somehow we have now turned into BPD's number one lesbian couple." Jane said, eyes fixed on the screen of Maura's TV.

The doctor stayed quiet for a moment and absentmindedly looked into her wineglass.

"Are you bothered by that?" she suddenly asked in a quiet voice. "I mean, people thinking we are in a relationship."

"Well, yeah!" Jane said without thinking, only then noticing the crestfallen expression on Maura's face and instantly regretting her words. "I mean no, not like the way you think. It's just that I …"

"Just what, Jane? I never thought it would matter so much to you what other people think."

"It doesn't! I just don't want everyone to know that we … I mean I … Ah fuck this!" Jane placed her bottle on the coffee table and turned to look at Maura. All of this was getting more complicated by the minute and if she didn't want Maura to think she was some narrow-minded homophobe, she had no choice but to lay it all out into the open.

"Don't freak out Maura. The reason it bothers me so much is because it happened the way it did, all because of some stupid ruse. Just yesterday, I wasn't even sure I was ever going to tell you this, but I guess now it doesn't really matter anymore." Jane took a deep breath. "I think I love you. I'm in love with you, Maura."

For what seemed like an eternity, neither of the two women said a word. Jane was the one who finally broke the silence.

"Please, say something Maur."

"How long?" Maura asked quietly, intently looking into Jane's dark eyes.

"I realised it after that day in the morgue with Pike. But I think I might have been in love with you before then, I just didn't know. And I understand if you don't feel the same way. Just as long as we can still be friends."

"And what if I don't want to be friends anymore?"

"Maur, please …" Jane wasn't above begging, she realised. She'd do anything not to lose Maura. But before Jane could say any more, Maura leaned in just the slightest bit, until their lips were almost touching but not quite. For a second, Jane could feel Maura's hot breath on her face and next thing she knew, the doctor was pressing her lips down on Jane's.

After the initial shock of the situation Jane responded by burying her hands in Maura's hair and pulling her closer, deepening the innocent brush of their lips into a passionate kiss.

Pulling apart heavily breathing, Maura again searched for Jane's eyes. "I've felt more than friendship for you for a long time now. I was just not sure you would ever come to feel the same about me. I'm glad you finally do."

"Oh God Maur. You mean, we could have just skipped this whole mess right along?" Jane couldn't help the laugh that escaped her throat.

"It would have certainly been better if we could have avoided the whole fake coming out, especially since we now have to go tell your family that it wasn't a fake after all." Maura chuckled, taking Jane's hand in hers. "But still, I'm not sorry about what happened."

"Nah, I'm not sorry either." Jane smirked and pulled Maura into her lap.

"Now let's make out some more. Because the way I know my mother, she'll probably walk in on us anyway and save us a whole lot of explaining!"

* * *

_END_


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